Geranium named `Clips Light Lav`

ABSTRACT

A new geranium cultivar particularly distinguished by dark green foliage, light bluish pink flower color, and semi-double flowers on large umbels, fast rooting and a vigorous growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium,botanically known as Pelargonium hortorum Bailey, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name `Clips Light Lav`. The new cultivar ispropagated from a seedling resulting from the cross of a seed parent3358-1 and the pollen parent known as 3500-2.

`Clips Light Lav` is a product of a planned breeding program intended tocreate new geranium cultivars with lavender colored flowers, semi-doubleflower form, dark green foliage, vigorous growth and superior cuttingproductivity.

The new cultivar was created in 1993 in Gilroy, Calif., and has beenrepeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Gilory, Calif. andGuatemala over a three year period. It has also been trialed at Okemos,Mich. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive propagations; and this novelty appears to be firmlyfixed.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new geranium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color, thecolors shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventionalphotographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows overall plant habit;

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of `Clips Light Lav`. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out byGoldsmith Seeds, Inc. in Gilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on20 week old plants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse andcolor readings were taken in the greenhouse (in Gilroy, Calif.) on Jul.24, 1996 at 2:00 p.m. under ambient light. Color references areprimarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Societyof London (R.H.S.).

The Plant

Classification:

Botanical.--Pelargonium hortorum Bailey.

Commercial.--Zonal geranium.

Form: Upright compact plant.

Height: 12 to 17 cm, as a 41/2 inch pot plant, excluding blooms.

Strength: Good shipping ability as rooted or unrooted cuttings.

Foliage: Abundant quantity.

Leaves.--Size: Diameter about 6.4 cm. Shape: Rounded cordate withoccasional upfolding between veins. Margin: Irregularly crenate.Texture: Leathery and pubescent on both surfaces, especially alongveins. Ribs and veins: Distinctly palmate, 3.6 to 4.0 cm long. Color:Upper side: Dark Green. Underside: Dark Green color. Ribs and veins notprominently different from upper surface. Petioles: About 4.5 to 5.4 cmin length.

The Bud

Size:

Diameter.--About 4 mm.

Length.--About 11 cm to 12 cm at time of bud opening.

Shape: Pointed ovoid.

Color: Petals when sepals first divide is 73A-B, R.H.S.

Sepals: Primary 5 sometimes 6 in number, flat behind petals. Pointedlinear lanceolate, 144A R.H.S. in an open flower.

The Flower

Blooming habit; Continuous throughout the year.

Size: Approximately 4.8-5.0 cm diameter, 2 cm deep, irregularly radiallysymmetrical.

Form: Cup-shaped when bloom first opens, later flattening to shallow cupshape with maturity.

Petals: 5 imbricate outer petals, 2.2-2.4 cm wide and approximately 2.4cm long. Three to six inner smaller petaloids of varying shape. Both theouter petals and inner petaloids are light bluish pink, 73C R.H.S. Thetwo upper petals are 73C R.H.S. on the top region but are white from thecenter of the petal to the base. Color changing little with age.Underside of petals is a blush white with pink margins. Petals andpetaloids soft and satiny.

Pedicel: Approximately 2.4-3.0 cm in length

Persistence: Non-shattering flower.

Inflorescence

Type: An umbel composed of approximately 23 flowers, erect or laterallyascending.

Peduncle: Approximately 9-10 cm in length, mostly green with a reddishtint on the side facing the sunlight.

Reproductive Organs

Stamens:

Anthers.--8-10 positioned below the mature stigma, dull red prior toanthesis.

Filaments.--White.

Pollen.--Orange in color.

Pistil:

Number.--1.

Length.--Approximately 4 mm.

Stigma.--5 linear lobes of near equal length, curling back toward ovary,white with a purplish tint.

Style.--Length: About 3 mm. Color: White.

Ovaries.--At anthesis, densely pubescent with white hairs, oblong. Greendrying to a light brown at maturity.

Fruit.--Partially fertile.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant, substantiallyas herein shown and described, named `Clips Light Lav`, that ischaracterized by: dark green foliage, light bluish pink flower color,and semi-double flowers on large umbels, fast rooting and a vigorousgrowth habit.